Several new faces joined the SWAMC Board of Directors back in January. Louise Stutes and Terry Haines of Kodiak joined Alyssa McDonald of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. In addition, Trevor Brown became a Board member in March. We want to welcome the newest Directors and look forward to their contributions in the coming years. We'd also like to express our appreciation to the following folks who served for many years on the SWAMC Board and whose terms ended in 2009: Tom Abell, Joe Sullivan, Linda Freed, and Deb King. Your collective time and efforts made SWAMC a stronger organization.

Alice Ruby (Dillingham) is now SWAMC's president, Glen Gardner, Jr. (Sand Point) is vice president, and Stutes is serving as secretary/treasurer. Unalaska is playing host to the annual Board retreat at the end of August, a trip we're all looking forward to.

Brett Welcher joined the SWAMC staff this week after making the journey from New York, his home state. He will be doing some economic planning and research for SWAMC during his one-year VISTA term, working on the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy in particular. "I'm really excited to arrive in Alaska and join SWAMC," he said, "and I can't wait to learn more about the state's economy and its history, and to get the opportunity to witness all of the unique features it has to offer." This is Brett's first time visiting Alaska, and he is looking forward to seeing and visiting with Southwest Alaskans. If you'd like to say hello to Brett, he can be reached at our office line or at planning@swamc.org

USDA Rural Development State Office in Palmer is now accepting applications for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). This program funds agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. A new and important feature of this program is that each USDA Rural Development State Office has an allocation of REAP funds this fiscal year, as opposed to funding traditionally done out of the National Office.

The deadline for receipt of REAP applications at the USDA State Office is before the close of business on Friday, July 31st. For more information contact Chad Stovall, Business & Energy Programs Specialist for Alaska USDA, at (907) 761-7718, or Karen Dearlove in Dillingham at (907) 842-3923.

SWAMC wrapped up a series of free small business workshops in the Southwest region in February. The first workshop took place in King Salmon near the end of August 2008, King Cove came at the end of October, Dillingham in mid-November, and Kodiak in February. The three-day workshops focused on three core areas important to Southwest Alaska entrepreneurs: business plan writing and general business principles; the business of fishing; and tourism business development.

These workshops were made possible by a Rural Business Enterprise Grant through USDA Rural Development. We currently have a grant application filed to do five more workshops in the region, set to begin at the end of the summer. Stay tuned for those details.

From a recent announcement: "Communities throughout the Bristol Bay region are invited to apply for grants from The Pebble Fund during the Fund's second semi-annual competitive grant cycle opening June 1. Applications from eligible organizations must be received by The Alaska Community Foundation no later than Sept. 1, 2009. The Fund will award up to $1 million in small and large grants to qualifying organizations during this grant period. Applications are available online on the Alaska Community Foundation's web site or by calling 907/334-6700.

Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations in the Bristol Bay region, including schools, churches and government agencies. Funding will focus on programs related to renewable resources/fish, energy, community and economic development, and education."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...talk to you again soon.